When preparing sprouts some cooks make a cross in the bottom. One school of thought is that this helps them to cook more evenly but others think the cross is to keep the devil out!

Along with cabbages, broccoli and other brassicas Brussels sprouts contain sulphur as a deterrent against animals eating their leaves. This sulphur creates the slightly bitter taste that some people hate and other people love. It also creates the rotten egg smell you get when sprouts are overcooked plus that other unattractive smell that sprouts tend to create!

Great for those trying to lose some weight, a 100g of sprouts equals just 45 calories